Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An image capturing apparatus comprising: an image capturing unit; a release switch for accepting, from a user, an instruction to capture an image using the image capturing unit; a dial; a control unit that controls the apparatus to operate in one of a plurality of modes in accordance with a state of the dial, the modes including a communication mode and a shooting mode; and a communication unit that communicates with an external apparatus, wherein the control unit: controls the communication unit to issue an advertising signal in response to the dial entering a state corresponding to the communication mode; in response to receiving a request for encrypted communication from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is not paired with the external apparatus and accepting a predetermined operation made on the release switch, allows the request for the encrypted communication; in response to receiving a request for encrypted communication from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, allows the request for the encrypted communication without accepting the predetermined operation made on the release switch; and in response to an operation different from the predetermined operation on the release switch being received in a state where the dial is in a state corresponding to the communication mode and the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, cancels the pairing.
2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the advertising signal is issued in a state where the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, the advertising signal includes information pertaining to the external apparatus; and when the advertising signal is issued in a state where the image capturing apparatus is not paired with the external apparatus, the advertising signal does not include information pertaining to the external apparatus.
3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in response to a state in which the release switch is operated continuing for greater than or equal to a predetermined amount of time in a state where the dial corresponds to the communication mode and the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, the control unit cancels the pairing and controls the communication unit to start issuing an advertising signal that does not include information pertaining to the external apparatus.
4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in response to the release switch no longer being in a state of being operated after a state in which the release switch is operated continuing for greater than or equal to a predetermined amount of time in a state where the dial corresponds to the communication mode and the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, the control unit cancels the pairing and controls the communication unit to start issuing an advertising signal that does not include information pertaining to the external apparatus.
5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising: a second communication unit having a faster communication speed than the communication unit, wherein in response to the release switch no longer being in a state of being operated after a state in which the release switch is operated has continued for a time longer than the predetermined amount of time in a state where the dial corresponds to the communication mode, the control unit activates the second communication unit without canceling the pairing.
6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in response to an encryption key of the external apparatus being received from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is not paired with the external apparatus, and an operation of the release switch being sensed before a predetermined amount of time has passed after the encryption key of the external apparatus has been received, the control unit further allows the request for the encrypted communication, and sends an encryption key of the image capturing apparatus to the external apparatus.
7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising: a notifying unit that uses at least one of light and sound to notify the user that operating the release switch is enabled as a confirmation operation before the encryption key of the image capturing apparatus is sent, until the predetermined amount of time has passed.
8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the advertising signal includes information pertaining to the predetermined operation made on the release switch.
9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image capturing apparatus does not include a display unit that displays information of an external apparatus to be paired.
10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a carabiner part that forms a ring, and that includes a gate member that opens and closes the ring, wherein in response to receiving a request for encrypted communication from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is not paired with the external apparatus and accepting an operation of opening and closing the ring, the control unit allows the request for the encrypted communication; and in response to receiving a request for encrypted communication from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, the control unit allows the request for the encrypted communication without accepting an operation of opening and closing the ring.
11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the carabiner part includes a rotation shaft that axially supports one end of the gate member so that the gate member can pivot, and a magnet disposed in the gate member so that the position of the magnet changes in response to the gate member being pivoted about the rotation shaft; the image capturing apparatus further comprises a magnetism sensor that senses a change in a magnetic field caused by the magnet moving; and the control unit senses that an operation of opening and closing the ring has been performed on the basis of an output signal from the magnetism sensor.
12. A method of controlling an image capturing apparatus, the image capturing apparatus comprising: an image capturing unit; a release switch for accepting, from a user, an instruction to capture an image using the image capturing unit; a dial; a control unit that controls the image capturing apparatus to operate in one of a plurality of modes in accordance with a state of the dial, the modes including a communication mode and a shooting mode; and a communication unit that communicates with an external apparatus, and the method comprising: controlling the communication unit to issue an advertising signal in response to the dial entering a state corresponding to the communication mode; in response to receiving a request for encrypted communication from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is not paired with the external apparatus and accepting a predetermined operation made on the release switch, allowing the request for the encrypted communication; in response to receiving a request for encrypted communication from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, allowing the request for the encrypted communication without accepting the predetermined operation made on the release switch; and in response to an operation different from the predetermined operation on the release switch being received in a state where the dial is in a state corresponding to the communication mode and the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, cancelling the pairing.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a program for causing a computer to function as the control unit of the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 .
Unknown
February 8, 2022
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